The present invention generally relates to packages for stacks of bacon slices, more particularly to hermetically sealed merchandizing containers for multiple vertical stacks of bacon slices which are containerized and displayed in side-by-side fashion such that more than one face of the bacon is visible to the consumer prior to purchase. The invention makes it possible for the consumer to view multiple entire lengths of bacon slice edges without shingling the bacon slices. The package includes a tray and a cover, both of which are shaped, generally rigid and substantially transparent. The tray and cover are hermetically sealed together in a releasable fashion, and the cover is reclosable onto the tray so as to provide relatively easy access to the bacon and easy reclosure after less than all of the bacon has been removed from the package.
Bacon has long been available to retail consumers in sliced form, often within hermetically sealed packages. A typical package in this regard is a package containing approximately one pound of sliced bacon in a single shingled array which is hermetically sealed. Often, these packages are vacuum sealed. Typically, provision is made for viewing a portion of some of the shingled bacon slices. An example of such a bacon package is shown in Seiferth et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,332, incorporated by reference hereinto. Often, substantial portions of the bacon slices are obscured by a package of this type because it includes a so-called bacon board which is not transparent and which supports the shingled bacon during shipping, handling and in-home usage. Concerns are at times expressed by consumers that not enough surface area of the bacon slices is visible prior to purchase by the consumer. Consumers have expressed a concern that the "fatty" slices are intentionally hidden within the package, even though this is not a practical possibility in modern commercial-scale bacon processing operations.
Another concern which has at times been expressed by consumers is that bacon packages require the consumer's fingers to contact the packaging that has been exposed to the fat of the bacon in order to remove a bacon slice from the package. Usually, in order to gain access to a slice, the consumer must open and hold open a package panel or otherwise touch a part of the package which has a coating of fat on it. This fat contact can occur when opening the package, when accessing a previously opened package and/or when holding an open package during the course of removing a slice or slices therefrom.
Most current bacon packages hermetically seal the bacon slices within flexible films. This type of packaging can give an appearance which falls far short of that of a premium package. For example, the flexible film can loosely surround the bacon slices (especially in the case of a gas flushed package) or take on a loose or unstructured appearance once opened (in the case of flexible packages, including those which had been vacuum packaged). Also, many bacon packages are not truly reclosable in that they do not have positive means by which the package can be reclosed in order to securely contain the remaining bacon strips within the package once it has been opened and the bacon has been partially consumed.
In summary, the present invention provides reclosable bacon packaging that has a rigid tray for receiving the bacon and a rigid cover or lid that is hermetically sealed and, once the hermetic seal is broken, the package is easily reclosed. The package offers a unique presentation of bacon strips. The bacon strips are presented in two or more vertically aligned or non-shingled stacks which are side-by-side of each other along adjacent longitudinal edges of the opposing respective stacks. Prior to opening, the rigid tray and rigid cover are hermetically sealed to each other in an easy release fashion. The rigid cover is readily reclosed onto the rigid tray by a structure which preferably includes mating engagement between a peripheral inset surface and a peripheral surface that projects into and engages the peripheral inset surface.
It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide an improved shaped, generally rigid synthetic plastic bacon package.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bacon package that is substantially entirely rigid or semi-rigid to the extent that the polymeric material of the package is formed and reclosable.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved bacon package that offers a unique presentation of bacon strips within rigid packaging in which every panel is transparent.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rigid bacon package that is reclosable with a snap fit while affording easy product accessibility.
Another object of this invention is to provide a bacon package having both a rigid tray and a rigid cover, which package is reclosable and offers good product visibility, improved slice separation and premium package appearance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bacon package wherein the lean edges of the slices are exposed on at least two sides or ends of the package and full slices or substantially full slices may be viewed from the top and the bottom, depending upon labeling requirements and label attributes.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sliced bacon package wherein the leaner edges of each slice are positioned toward the outside of the package while the less lean edge of each slice is positioned toward the inside of the package.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved package for sliced bacon which minimizes contact between fatty coated package panels and the consumer's fingers when removing slices from the package.
Another object of this invention is to provide bacon packaging that is suitable for gas flushing to offer improved slice separation and to account for slice size variation.
Another object of this invention is to provide improved bacon packages that are stackable or nestable one on top of the other so as to provide compact and secure stacking.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.